Agenda Item 89 

Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories 

Resolution 54/76 (Adopted on 6 December 1999/Vote: 84-2-67)

                 Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories 

The General Assembly, 

Guided, by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, 

Guided also by the principles of international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, as well as international standards of human rights, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights,  

Recalling its relevant resolutions, including resolution 2443 (XXIII) of 19 December 1968, and relevant resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights, 

Recalling also relevant resolutions of the Security Council, 

Aware of the lasting impact of the uprising (intifada) of the Palestinian people, 

Convinced that occupation itself represents a gross violation of human rights, 

Having considered the reports of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories and the relevant reports of the Secretary-General,  

Recalling the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements by the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, as well as the subsequent implementation agreements, including the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip signed in Washington, D.C., on 28 September 1995, and the recent signing of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on 4 September 1999, 

Expressing the hope that, with the progress of the peace process, the Israeli occupation will be brought to an end and therefore violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people will cease, 

1.                Commends the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories for its efforts in performing the tasks assigned to it by the General Assembly and for its impartiality; 

2.                Demands that Israel cooperate with the Special Committee in implementing its mandate; 

3.                Deplores those policies and practices of Israel which violate the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories, as reflected in the reports of the Special Committee covering the reporting period; 

4.                Expresses concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, as a result of Israeli practices and measures; 

5.                Requests the Special Committee, pending complete termination of the Israeli occupation, to continue to investigate Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, especially Israeli lack of compliance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and to consult, as appropriate, with the International Committee of the Red Cross according to its regulations in order to ensure that the welfare and human rights of the peoples of the occupied territories are safeguarded and to report to the Secretary-General as soon as possible and whenever the need arises thereafter; 

6.                Also requests the Special Committee to submit regularly to the Secretary-General periodic reports on the current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem; 

7.                Further requests the Special Committee to continue to investigate the treatment of prisoners in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967; 

8.                Requests the Secretary-General: 

(a)                To provide the Special Committee with all necessary facilities, including those required for its visits to the occupied territories, so that it may investigate the Israeli policies and practices referred to in the present resolution; 

(b)                To continue to make available such additional staff as may be necessary to assist the Special Committee in the performance of its tasks; 

(c)                To circulate regularly to Member States the periodic reports mentioned in paragraph 6 above; 

(d)                To ensure the widest circulation of the reports of the Special Committee and of information regarding its activities and findings, by all means available, through the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat and, where necessary, to reprint those reports of the Special Committee that are no longer available; 

(e)                To report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the tasks entrusted to him in the present resolution; 

9.                Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fifth session the item entitled “Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories”.

Agenda Item 89

 Resolution 54/77 (Adopted on 6 December 1999/Vote: 154-2-1)

                 Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories 

The General Assembly, 

Recalling its relevant resolutions, 

Bearing in mind the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, 

Having considered the reports of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories and the relevant reports of the Secretary-General,

Considering that the promotion of respect for the obligations arising from the Charter of the United Nations and other instruments and rules of international law is among the basic purposes and principles of the United Nations, 

   Noting the convening of the meeting of experts of the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, in Geneva from 27 to 29 October 1998, at the initiative of Government of Switzerland in its capacity as the depositary of the Convention, concerning general problems of application of the Convention in general and, in particular, in occupied territories, 

            Noting also the convening on 15 July 1999 for the first time of a Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, as recommended by the General Assembly in its resolution ES-10/6 of 9 February 1999, on measures to enforce the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and to ensure respect thereof in accordance with common article 1, and aware of the Statement adopted by the Conference,            

Stressing that Israel, the occupying Power, should comply strictly with its obligations under international law, 

1.        Reaffirms that the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, is applicable to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967; 

2.        Demands that Israel accept the de jure applicability of the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, and that it comply scrupulously with the provisions of the Convention; 

3.        Calls upon all States parties to the Convention, in accordance with common article 1 to the four Geneva Conventions, to exert all efforts in order to ensure respect for its provisions by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967;  

4.       Reiterates the need for speedy implementation of the recommendations contained in resolutions ES-10/3 of 15 July 1997, ES-10/4 of 13 November 1997, ES-10/5 of 17 March 1998 and ES-10/6 of 9 February 1999 with regard to ensuring respect by Israel, the occupying Power, for the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention; 

5.        Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution.

Agenda Item 89 

Resolution 54/78 (Adopted on 6 December 1999/ Vote: 149-3-3) 

Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan 

The General Assembly, 

Guided by the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and affirming the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, 

Recalling its relevant resolutions, including those adopted at its tenth emergency special session, as well as relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 446 (1979) of 22 March 1979, 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980 and 497 (1981) of 17 December 1981, 

Reaffirming the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and to the occupied Syrian Golan, 

Aware of the Middle East peace process started at Madrid and the agreements reached between the parties, in particular the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements of 13 September 1993 and the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip of 28 September 1995, 

Expressing grave concern about the continuation by Israel of settlement activities, including the ongoing construction of the new settlement in Jabal Abu-Ghneim, in violation of international humanitarian law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the agreements reached between the parties, 

Taking into consideration the detrimental impact of Israeli settlement policies, decisions and activities on the Middle East peace process, 

Gravely concerned in particular about the dangerous situation resulting from actions taken by the illegal armed Israeli settlers in the occupied territory, as illustrated by the massacre of Palestinian worshippers by an illegal Israeli settler in Al-Khalil on 25 February 1994, 

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,  

1.                Reaffirms that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan are illegal and an obstacle to peace and economic and social development; 

2.                Calls upon Israel to accept the de jure applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and to the occupied Syrian Golan and to abide scrupulously by the provisions of the Convention, in particular article 49; 

3.                Demands complete cessation of the construction of the new settlement in Jabal Abu-Ghneim and of all Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan; 

4.                Stresses the need for full implementation of Security Council resolution 904 (1994) of 18 March 1994, in which, among other things, the Council called upon Israel, the occupying Power, to continue to take and implement measures, including, inter alia, confiscation of arms, with the aim of preventing illegal acts of violence by Israeli settlers, and called for measures to be taken to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory; 

               5.                Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution.      

Agenda Item 89 

Resolution 54/79 (Adopted on 6 December 1999/Vote: 150-2-3)

                 Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem 

The General Assembly, 

Recalling its relevant resolutions, including those adopted at its tenth emergency special session, and the resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights, 

Bearing in mind the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, the most recent of which are resolutions 904 (1994) of 18 March 1994 and 1073 (1996) of 28 September 1996, 

Having considered the reports of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories and the reports of the Secretary-General,  

Aware of the responsibility of the international community to promote human rights and ensure respect for international law, 

Reaffirming the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, 

Reaffirming also the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, 

Recalling the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements by the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, as well as the subsequent implementation agreements, including the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip signed in Washington, D.C., on 28 September 1995, and the signing of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on 4 September 1999, 

Noting the withdrawal of the Israeli army, which took place in the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area, and the subsequent Israeli redeployments in accordance with the agreements reached between the parties, 

Concerned about the continuing violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel, the occupying Power, including the use of collective punishment, closure of areas, annexation and establishment of settlements and the continuing actions by it designed to change the legal status, geographical nature and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, 

Convinced of the positive impact of a temporary international or foreign presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the safety and protection of the Palestinian people,

 Expressing its appreciation to the countries that participated in the Temporary International Presence in Hebron for their positive contribution, 

Convinced of the need for the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 904 (1994) and 1073 (1996), 

1.                Determines that all measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, in violation of the relevant provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and contrary to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, are illegal and have no validity and that such measures should cease immediately; 

2.                Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, cease all practices and actions which violate the human rights of the Palestinian people; 

3.                Stresses the need to preserve the territorial integrity of all the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to guarantee the freedom of movement of persons and goods within the Palestinian territory, including the removal of restrictions on movement into and from East Jerusalem, and the freedom of movement to and from the outside world; 

4.                Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to accelerate the release of all remaining Palestinians arbitrarily detained or imprisoned, in line with agreements reached; 

5.                Calls for complete respect by Israel, the occupying Power, of all fundamental freedoms of the Palestinian people; 

6.             Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution.